Does anyone here work for a VA? Any advantages or disadvantages?
VA Ophthalmology
- Thread starter luxpara
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Advantages: no office or business worries, reasonably relaxed practice pace, opportunities to teach and do research at most hospitals affiliated with a residency program (and usually comes with at least a clinical appointment), decent vacation (30 days/year), government retirement and supplemental tax-deferred retirement savings plan, government (civilian) medical benefits, opportunity to relocate within the VA system and retain seniority and benefits, GS payscale with extra bonuses, all Federal holidays off with pay, resident coverage for call, can buy into VA retirement plan with accrued military service time, if you have any
Disadvantages: can't fire bad employees, have to submit to departmental process for capital equipment acquisitions, limited surgery time in some locations, GS payscale, may have unwelcome involvement by affiliated academic department head,
Thanks orbitsurgMD!! Do you think it would be better to work at a VA or Kiaser?
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Have never worked for Kaiser, but I know a few folks who do. Most of us have worked at a VA somewhere along the line. Kaiser is probably the better option. VA has an archaic EMR system, and everything runs at a snail's pace. Sucks the life out of you. What I hear is that Kaiser is much more efficient. You're still an employee, though, which comes with some of the disadvantages mentioned above.
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Bump, does anyone else have advice on this topic? I'm currently in the process of deciding between private practice with high volume and buy in vs VA practice as an employee. Thanks!
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Depends on what you want. Do you want to have a 9-5 relaxed lifestyle, good starting pay, and you're ok with being an employee with lots of overhead management (especially non-MDs)? VA would be good for you.
If you want more autonomy, a higher salary ceiling, and are willing to put in work and hours necessary for it, go private practice. If you like to operate I would definitely recommend private practice. My former chairman once told me "the VA will ruin a young aspiring surgeon's career," and based on anecdotal evidence I would agree.
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Agreed... nod to private practice if you like to work and be busy surgically.
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Agree with above. Depends on what you want.
Personally, I could never see putting myself in an employee role, especially after all the effort it took to become an ophthalmologist. Yes, there are headaches with being self-employed, but the autonomy and significantly higher income potential are worth it. You completely surrender control in a VA system. Perfect example: I have been a (very) part time civilian contractor for the VA for the last 7 years. I full in for their full time medical retina doc. I was getting paid a decent amount for my time, though that's not really why I was there. Earlier this year, the VA decided (effective immediately) it didn't have the money to pay any of the civilian contractors anymore, so now I work there for free. I could have quit, but it's so part time that I don't mind, and I see it as a way to give back to the veterans. Another one: in residency, there was a particularly toxic technician in our VA clinic. It took literally years to get rid of her, because the docs had no direct control over the hiring and firing. Point is that's the way the VA works. Sometimes really reactionary and other times mired in bureaucracy.
If you just want to punch your card each and make a decent, regular salary with decent benefits (I think there is even a loan forgiveness program), and you don't care about having influence over any of the business decisions, VA may be a good option. I just don't know a lot of docs who can be content with that.
Personally, I could never see putting myself in an employee role, especially after all the effort it took to become an ophthalmologist. Yes, there are headaches with being self-employed, but the autonomy and significantly higher income potential are worth it. You completely surrender control in a VA system. Perfect example: I have been a (very) part time civilian contractor for the VA for the last 7 years. I full in for their full time medical retina doc. I was getting paid a decent amount for my time, though that's not really why I was there. Earlier this year, the VA decided (effective immediately) it didn't have the money to pay any of the civilian contractors anymore, so now I work there for free. I could have quit, but it's so part time that I don't mind, and I see it as a way to give back to the veterans. Another one: in residency, there was a particularly toxic technician in our VA clinic. It took literally years to get rid of her, because the docs had no direct control over the hiring and firing. Point is that's the way the VA works. Sometimes really reactionary and other times mired in bureaucracy.
If you just want to punch your card each and make a decent, regular salary with decent benefits (I think there is even a loan forgiveness program), and you don't care about having influence over any of the business decisions, VA may be a good option. I just don't know a lot of docs who can be content with that.
